# 2012 PDL season

The 2012 USL Premier Development League season was the 18th season of the PDL. The regular season began on 22 April with a match between the Los Angeles Misioneros and Fresno Fuego, and ended with 14 matches on 15 July 2012. The regular season was followed by a postseason tournament of conference winners which determined the league's champion, Forest City London. Thirteen teams were added to the league and four teams dropped, bringing the total number of teams to 73 across nine divisions for 2012.

## Changes from 2011
### Name changes

* Abbotsford Mariners rebranded as Fraser Valley Mariners
* Central Florida Kraze rebranded as Orlando City U-23 after its acquisition by USL Pro team Orlando City
* Chivas El Paso Patriots rebranded as El Paso Patriots.
* Los Angeles Blues 23 rebranded as Pali Blues
* MPS Portland Phoenix rebranded as GPS Portland Phoenix
* New Hampshire Phantoms rebranded as Seacoast United Phantoms
* Tacoma Tide rebranded as Seattle Sounders FC U-23 after its acquisition by Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders FC.
* West Texas United Sockers rebranded as West Texas Sockers

### New teams

Thirteen new clubs joined the PDL this coming season.
| Team Name | Metro Area | Location | Previous Affiliation |
| Austin Aztex | Greater Austin | Austin, Texas | expansion |
| Baltimore Bohemians | Baltimore area | Bel Air, Maryland | expansion |
| Boston Victory | Metropolitan Boston | Quincy, Massachusetts | expansion |
| Chicago Inferno | Chicago area | Chicago, Illinois | expansion |
| Connecticut FC Azul | Connecticut | Hamden, Connecticut | USASA |
| Ocala Stampede | Ocala, Florida | Ocala, Florida | expansion |
| Palmetto FC Bantams | Greenwood, South Carolina | Greenwood, South Carolina | expansion |
| Panama City Beach Pirates | Panama City | Panama City Beach, Florida | expansion |
| Southern West Virginia King's Warriors | Raleigh County | Beckley, West Virginia | expansion |
| Texas Dutch Lions | Greater Houston | Holland, Texas | expansion |
| FC Tucson | Pima County | Tucson, Arizona | USASA |
| VSI Tampa Flames | Tampa Bay Area | Tampa, Florida | expansion |
| Worcester Hydra | Worcester, Massachusetts | Worcester, Massachusetts | expansion |

### Realignment

The Nashville Metros were moved from the Southeast Division of the Southern Conference to the South Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.

### Folding/moving

* Four teams were announced as leaving the league prior to the beginning of the season:
** Akron Summit Assault – Akron, Ohio
** Baton Rouge Capitals – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
** Indiana Invaders – South Bend, Indiana
** Rio Grande Valley Grandes – McAllen, Texas

## Standings

2012 Premier Development League standings.
* Key to colours in group tables
* Team won the Division Title
* Team qualified for playoff berth
Note: The first tie-breaker in PDL standings is head-to-head results between teams tied on points, which is why some teams with inferior goal differences finish ahead in the standings.

### Central Conference
#### Great Lakes Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Michigan Bucks | 16 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 46 | 10 | +36 | 41 |
| 2 | Forest City London | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 28 | 21 | +7 | 25 |
| 3 | River City Rovers | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 24 | 32 | −8 | 23 |
| 4 | Cincinnati Kings | 16 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 28 | 33 | −5 | 21 |
| 5 | Chicago Fire Premier | 16 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 22 | 26 | −4 | 21 |
| 6 | Toronto Lynx | 16 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 22 | 25 | −3 | 20 |
| 7 | Hamilton Rage | 16 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 23 | 35 | −12 | 15 |
| 8 | Chicago Inferno | 16 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 21 | 32 | −11 | 15 |
* ↑ Although River City Rovers qualified for post season play, they ceded the match that was to be played 7/17 to Forest City London.

#### Heartland Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Thunder Bay Chill | 16 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 41 | 10 | +31 | 40 |
| 2 | Real Colorado Foxes | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 28 |
| 3 | Des Moines Menace | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 30 | 22 | +8 | 27 |
| 4 | Springfield Demize | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 23 | 29 | −6 | 19 |
| 5 | Kansas City Brass | 16 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 30 | 31 | −1 | 19 |
| 6 | WSA Winnipeg | 16 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 28 | −13 | 14 |
| 7 | St. Louis Lions | 16 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 16 | 35 | −19 | 11 |

### Eastern Conference
#### Mid Atlantic Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Ocean City Nor'easters | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 13 | +23 | 39 |
| 2 | Reading United | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 33 | 11 | +22 | 36 |
| 3 | Jersey Express | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 33 | 16 | +17 | 33 |
| 4 | New Jersey Rangers | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 28 | 25 | +3 | 27 |
| 5 | Long Island Rough Riders | 16 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 26 | 22 | +4 | 21 |
| 6 | Baltimore Bohemians | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 20 | 24 | −4 | 19 |
| 7 | Brooklyn Knights | 16 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 31 | 37 | −6 | 17 |
| 8 | Central Jersey Spartans | 16 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 13 | 31 | −18 | 14 |
| 9 | Bermuda Hogges | 16 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 17 | 38 | −21 | 14 |
| 10 | Westchester Flames | 16 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 20 | 40 | −20 | 8 |

#### Northeast Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Ottawa Fury | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 14 | +16 | 33 |
| 2 | GPS Portland Phoenix | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 17 | +12 | 32 |
| 3 | Western Mass Pioneers | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 11 | +7 | 24 |
| 4 | Worcester Hydra | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 23 | 19 | +4 | 23 |
| 5 | Connecticut FC Azul | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 24 | 14 | +10 | 23 |
| 6 | Seacoast United Phantoms | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 20 | −6 | 20 |
| 7 | Vermont Voltage | 16 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 21 | 34 | −13 | 11 |
| 8 | Boston Victory | 16 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 36 | −30 | 11 |

#### South Atlantic Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Carolina Dynamo | 16 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 37 | 10 | +27 | 37 |
| 2 | Real Maryland Monarchs | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 33 | 22 | +11 | 28 |
| 3 | West Virginia Chaos | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 27 |
| 4 | Nashville Metros | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 24 | 15 | +9 | 24 |
| 5 | Fredericksburg Hotspur | 16 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 34 | −11 | 20 |
| 6 | Palmetto FC Bantams | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 18 | −2 | 19 |
| 7 | Northern Virginia Royals | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 23 | −9 | 19 |
| 8 | King's Warriors | 16 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 17 | 24 | −7 | 14 |
| 9 | Virginia Beach Piranhas | 16 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 16 | 34 | −18 | 12 |

### Southern Conference
#### Mid South Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Laredo Heat | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 15 | +16 | 33 |
| 2 | Austin Aztex | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 40 | 13 | +27 | 29 |
| 3 | El Paso Patriots | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 26 | 24 | +2 | 23 |
| 4 | Texas Dutch Lions | 16 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 22 | 47 | −25 | 17 |
| 5 | New Orleans Jesters | 16 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 26 | 34 | −8 | 16 |
| 6 | West Texas Sockers | 16 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 18 | 30 | −12 | 15 |

#### Southeast Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Ocala Stampede | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 35 | 20 | +15 | 35 |
| 2 | Orlando City U-23 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 31 | 17 | +14 | 29 |
| 3 | Bradenton Academics | 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 23 | 14 | +9 | 26 |
| 4 | Mississippi Brilla | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 32 | 25 | +7 | 25 |
| 5 | VSI Tampa Flames | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 23 | 20 | +3 | 25 |
| 6 | Panama City Beach Pirates | 16 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 21 |
| 7 | Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy | 16 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 39 | −29 | 12 |
| 8 | FC JAX Destroyers | 16 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 17 | 36 | −19 | 7 |

### Western Conference
#### Northwest Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Seattle Sounders FC U-23 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 33 | 17 | +16 | 36 |
| 2 | Portland Timbers U23's | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 35 | 16 | +19 | 32 |
| 3 | Kitsap Pumas | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 18 | +11 | 32 |
| 4 | Washington Crossfire | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 21 | −4 | 25 |
| 5 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 (J) | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 35 | 20 | +15 | 24 |
| 6 | Victoria Highlanders | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 21 | 18 | +3 | 22 |
| 7 | North Sound SeaWolves | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 16 | 40 | −24 | 12 |
| 8 | Fraser Valley Mariners | 16 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 40 | −36 | 1 |

#### Southwest Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Ventura County Fusion | 16 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 42 | 13 | +29 | 38 |
| 2 | FC Tucson | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 16 | +5 | 31 |
| 3 | Fresno Fuego | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 28 | 24 | +4 | 27 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Misioneros | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 29 | 23 | +6 | 22 |
| 5 | Ogden Outlaws | 16 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 21 | 27 | −6 | 21 |
| 6 | BYU Cougars | 16 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 27 | 25 | +2 | 20 |
| 7 | Orange County Blue Star | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 30 | 26 | +4 | 20 |
| 8 | Southern California Seahorses | 16 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 21 | 36 | −15 | 12 |
| 9 | Pali Blues | 16 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 16 | 45 | −29 | 9 |

## Conference Championships

As in prior years, each of the four conferences will hold a conference championship. In 2012, the location for each conference championship will be held the weekend of 20–22 July with the host team decided by a bidding process with preference given to the teams with the best records. The winner of the four conference championships will then compete in the PDL Championship held 27–29 July and 4 August.

### Divisional Playoffs

Five of the divisions have additional matches in order for teams to qualify for the conference championship.
In the Great Lakes Division the 2nd and 3rd place teams qualify for a play in match; however, the 3rd place River City Rovers ceded the match to Forest City London who qualified for the Central Conference Championship.
In the Northwest Division, the top 4 teams qualify for a play-in match with the #4 seed playing at the home pitch of the top seed; and the #3 seed playing at the #2 seed. The winners of these matches then qualify for the Western Conference Championships. These matches were played on 7/14 and 7/15 with Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers U-23 teams winning.
| Northwest Division Western Conference | Northwest Division Western Conference | Northwest Division Western Conference |
| NW1 | Seattle Sounders FC U-23 | 3 |
| NW4 | Washington Crossfire | 1 |
| Northwest Division Western Conference | Northwest Division Western Conference | Northwest Division Western Conference |
| NW2 | Portland Timbers U23's | 2 |
| NW3 | Kitsap Pumas | 1 |
In the Eastern Conference, there are three divisions. The team with the best overall record in the conference qualifies for the Conference Championships directly, and, from that team's division, the 2nd and 3rd place teams compete in a play-in match. In 2012, Ocean City from the Mid Atlantic Division had the best overall all record. Therefore, 3rd place Jersey Expressed traveled to 2nd place Reading United on 17 July to determine the 2nd team from the Mid Atlantic that would qualify for the Conference Championships. Reading United won the match 3–1 with an extra time goal scored in the 119th minute and a penalty goal in stoppage time.
The top two teams from the other two divisions will also compete in a play-in match. In the Northeast Division, the Ottawa Fury hosted the GPS Portland Phoenix on 17 July with Ottawa claiming victory after extra time 3–2. The Carolina Dynamo hosted the Real Maryland Monarchs in the South Atlantic play-in match, with Carolina easily cruising to a 5–0 victory. The Eastern Conference Championships which will be hosted by Carolina Dynamo.
| Northeast Division Eastern Conference | Northeast Division Eastern Conference | Northeast Division Eastern Conference |
| NE1 | Ottawa Fury | 3 |
| NE2 | GPS Portland Phoenix | 2 |
| Mid Atlantic Division Eastern Conference | Mid Atlantic Division Eastern Conference | Mid Atlantic Division Eastern Conference |
| MA2 | Reading United | 3 |
| MA3 | Jersey Express | 1 |
| South Atlantic Division Eastern Conference | South Atlantic Division Eastern Conference | South Atlantic Division Eastern Conference |
| SA1 | Carolina Dynamo | 5 |
| SA2 | Real Maryland FC | 0 |

### Western Conference Championship
## Bracket

| Conference Semifinals (20–21 July) | Conference Semifinals (20–21 July) | Conference Semifinals (20–21 July) | Conference Finals (22 July) | Conference Finals (22 July) | Conference Finals (22 July) | Semi-Finals (28 July) | Semi-Finals (28 July) | Semi-Finals (28 July) | | Championship (4 August) | Championship (4 August) | Championship (4 August) |
| SE1 | Ocala Stampede | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| MS2 | Austin Aztex | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| MS2 | Austin Aztex | 3 | MS2 | Austin Aztex | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Southern Conference | Southern Conference | Southern Conference | MS2 | Austin Aztex | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Southern Conference | Southern Conference | Southern Conference | SE2 | Orlando City U-23 | 4 | | | | | | | |
| MS1 | Laredo Heat | 1 | SE2 | Orlando City U-23 | 4 | | | | | | | |
| SE2 | Orlando City U-23 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| SE2 | Orlando City U-23 | 2 | | | | SE2 | Orlando City U-23 | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | SA1 | Carolina Dynamo | 2 | | | | |
| MA1 | Ocean City Nor'easters | 0 | | | | | | | SA1 | Carolina Dynamo | 2 | | | | |
| NE1 | Ottawa Fury | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| NE1 | Ottawa Fury | 1 | NE1 | Ottawa Fury | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | NE1 | Ottawa Fury | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | SA1 | Carolina Dynamo | 1 | | | | | | | |
| SA1 | Carolina Dynamo (AET) | 2 | SA1 | Carolina Dynamo | 1 | | | | | | | |
| MA2 | Reading United | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| MA2 | Reading United | 1 | | | | | | | | SA1 | Carolina Dynamo | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | GL2 | Forest City London | 2 |
| SW1 | Ventura County Fusion (AET) | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | GL2 | Forest City London | 2 |
| NW2 | Portland Timbers U23's | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| NW2 | Portland Timbers U23's | 0 | SW1 | Ventura County Fusion | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | SW1 | Ventura County Fusion | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | NW1 | Seattle Sounders FC U-23 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| NW1 | Seattle Sounders FC U-23 | 2 | NW1 | Seattle Sounders FC U-23 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| SW2 | FC Tucson | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| SW2 | FC Tucson | 1 | | | | NW1 | Seattle Sounders FC U-23 | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | | | GL2 | Forest City London | 3 | | | | |
| GL1 | Michigan Bucks | 1 | | | | | | | GL2 | Forest City London | 3 | | | | |
| HL2 | Real Colorado Foxes | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| HL2 | Real Colorado Foxes | 0 | GL1 | Michigan Bucks | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Central Conference | Central Conference | Central Conference | GL1 | Michigan Bucks | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Central Conference | Central Conference | Central Conference | GL2 | Forest City London | 2 | | | | | | | |
| HL1 | Thunder Bay Chill | 0 | GL2 | Forest City London | 2 | | | | | | | |
| GL2 | Forest City London | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |

## PDL Championship

The 2012 PDL Championship consisted of 4 teams, the winner of each Conference Championship, with the semi-finals being held on Saturday, 28 July and the finals being played Saturday, 4 August. The host sites were determined following the completion of the Conference Championships.

### Championship
## Awards

* Most Valuable Player: Sullivan Silva, (THU)
* Rookie of the Year: Adam Grinwis, (MIB)
* Defender of the Year: Kevin Cope, (MIB)
* Coach of the Year: Gary Parsons, (MIB)
* Goalkeeper of the Year: Adam Grinwis, (MIB)

## All-League and All-Conference Teams
### Eastern Conference

F: Deshorn Brown (REA) *, Alencar Junior (WOR), David Neuberth (RMD) M: Christian Barreiro (BAL), Jason Massie (GPS), Stephen Okai (REA) D: Patrick Boucher (CON), Marcello Castro (OTT), Greg Cochrane (REA), Sebastien Ibeagha (CAR) * G: John McCarthy (OCN)

### Central Conference

F: Jordan Ayris (LON), Sullivan Silva (THU) *, Branden Stelmak (CIN) M: Tom Catalano (MIB) *, Bryan Ciesiulka (CHI), Jordan Green (KCB) * D: Sicelo Buthelezi (THU), Kevin Cope (MIB) *, Lorne Donaldson (RCO), Peter Nechvatal (KCB) G: Adam Grinwis (MIB) *

### Western Conference

F: Jaime Chavez (LAM), Mark Sherrod (POR) *, Gyasi Zardes (VCF) M: Ben Fisk (VAN), Matt Friesen (KIT) *, Frankie López (VCF) D: James Farenhorst (VAN), Stephen Mohn (KIT), Conor Spence (TUC), DeAndre Yedlin (SEA) * G: Elliott Mitrou (VIC)

### Southern Conference

F: Karamba Janneh (OCA), Chrispin Ochieng (MIS), Kris Tyrpak (AUS) M: Juan de Dios Ibarra-Trevino (AUS), Douglas dos Santos (OCA), Kekuta Manneh (AUS) D: Taian de Souza (PAN), Oumar Diakhite (ORL), Max Gunderson (LAR) *, Zack Pope (AUS) G: Alonso Jiménez (WTX)
* denotes All-League player